Signal-lamp.



No. 65|,782. Patented June I2, I900;

w. s. HAMM.

S l G N A L L A M P. (Application filed May 16, 139B.)

' (No Model.)

ms uonms PETERS c0. worc-uma, WASHINGTON, n, d.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OF IC WILLIAM S. HAMM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIGNAL- LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,782, dated June 12,1900.

' Application filed May 16 1898. Serial No. 680,815. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. HAMM, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new'and useful Improvementsin Signal-Lamps, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and to the numerals of referencemarked thereon.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements insignal-lampssuch as are employed in connection with railway-switches,although it is obviously applicable to different classes of lamps, astail and other descriptions used in railway practice, and to lamps orlanterns for a variety of purposes.

The lamp or lantern to which my invention is more especially intended tobeapplied is commonly used in the open air and exposed to varioustemperatures, and it has been found that what is known as sweating ispro;-. duced by unequal temperatures on opposite sides of the lenses. bymoisture held in suspension by the warm air within the lamp or lanterncondensing on the inner faces of the lenses when the lamp is exposed toa temperature lower than that within the lamp. Such lamps or lanterns,particularly in railroad practice, are subjected to extreme cold, asfrom 10 to 40 below zero,

but such excessive cold is not required to produce the injurious efiectnamed, as it is found to exist even where the temperature is at or nearthe freezing-point.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore,is to prevent sweating,and thus preserve an unobscured and brilliant light.

A further object of my invention is to prevent the downward rush of aireither under the top cap or through the openings provided to admit freshair for combustion, tending to extinguish the flame. It is obvious thatan unprotected lamp or lantern or one exposed to the action of theelements is liable to great variations of atmospheric temperature andthat unless means are adopted for preventing or deflecting the downwardrush of air into the lamp,whether received under the cap or at theair-openings, the flame must be extinguished. To overcome this injuriousefiect is another object of my invention.

A further object is to prevent the choking up of the hot-air outlet bythe heavier cold This sweating is caused air or otherwise, which alsohas the tendency to extinguish or smother the flame or render it lessbrilliant. This injurious action,while constantly observed by railroadhands and trainmen, has been ascribed to various conditions. It may bementioned that such action occurs not only when the lamp is stationary,but when carried about or where it is used with switches, gates, orother moving objects. To prevent this result is another ob ject of myimprovement.

In the fuller description of the invention which follows reference ishad to the drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation,partly in section, of a switch-lamp embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section on line 2 2. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views ofdetached parts.

. .Similarnumeralsof reference indicatesimilar parts in the respectivefigures.

1 is the main body of the lamp, having radial lens-openings, of whichthere may be two, three, or four, according to the use or service towhich the lamp is applied. The lamp-body is preferably made of Bessemersteel and of the general character set forth in my Patent No. 549,314,granted November 5, 1895. In my said former patent is shown acone(marked 10) arranged within the upper portion or section 2 of thelantern-easing, and which extends from a point at or near the top of thelens-openings to the upper region of the said section. The cone isconnected to the said upper portion of section 2 of the casing bymeansof an annular plate or diaphragm. The part 2 of the casing abovethe plate or diaphragm is cylindrical, there being necessarilv a widerspace around the upper portion of the cone than at its base, and aseries of openings 9 are provided in the said part 2 of the casing at ornear the bottom of the cone.

In my present invention a cone similar to that 10 of my Patent No. 5493Mis employed, but the upper portion or section of the outer casing isdifferently shaped andthe openings therein are differentlyplaced. In mypresent invention the upper portion of section 2 of the casing is hingedtothe plate 3, as shown, the hinging-point 4 being substantially in theplane of the annular plate or diaphragm of Ice Patent No.549-,314.Thereforethe-topof the cone inniy 'p'rese'ntinventio'n extends some?distance above the hinging-point, and the hinged portion 2 of thecasing'instead of being cylindrical, as is the stationary correspondingportion of Patent No. 549,314,115

made conical, 'so'that it"s'fsi'desare substan to the hinged cone 2bystandards 6; The c'a'p a tially 'parallel tothe outer surface oftheeon'e v 7-10; The top :of the hinged cone 2 isjcon-:i.

tracted' and is practically of the same diameter as that of theupper endof thecone 10, Above short distance-above it isfthecap 5, secured 5-isof a diameter considerably greater than mater thetop of the hinged-cone2 and effec- I manyprotecrsthei terior of the lamp from tnebeatingginofl rain dueto high Winds'an'd tlielike. It is not essential,to my invention that" the cone 2 be'hinged; Openings 7 are maderin-onglrrhe upper part of the'casing 1, just b'elow'the' hihged cone 2,through which 1 openi'ngsairenters to'suppo'rt combustion.

2 Within the-upper part of the'casingl isajn upright cyIinderS ofperforated metal, open at each end, its upper end being secured to thec'asingl-just belowthe openings 7 The perforated. cylinder 8* extendsdownwardly into the casin g a greater or lesser distance, as requiredfor the perfect operation of the'la'mp.

Theflowerend of the cylinder 8 is for a'shortdistance le ftimperfora'te; The space bound-1 ed by the plate 3, cylinder 8, and cone10 forms an air-chamber, within which current-s of fireshiairenteri'ngthrough the openings 7 are effectually quieted before passing" intothebody of the lantern through the perforated eylinder 8; The cone l0is'provided at its base with a n upWardly-turnedflange 9,s'o

fo'ri'ned taste-leave a space between the base of the cone and th'eouterportion of theflange 9', which outer portion is secured to theperfora-ted 'cylinde'r 8 by ineansof a bayonet-joint or'o't'hereasily-detached connection.

It has' been found that in theu'se of a'lamp Orlantern of theconstruction herein d'e-' scribed the several defects heretofore noticedai-e avoided. The-sweating of the lenses is prevented by the increasedvolume of cold 1 I airthe temperature of which is substantially that ofthe outer air between the inner su'r face of the lamp-bod y and thecentral current of; hot air from the burner. The fresh'air entering-theopenings '7 immediately below the'plateS strikes the outside of the cone10 and is deflected by' it upwardly against the under sid'eofthe plate8,.Which in turn defleets it downwardly to the base of thecon'e',

where' itis again turned upwardly and passes thence; through theperforated cylinder 8 into the lantern; The various changes of the di"that within certain limits the nearer the base 3 1? t he cone-l-0is tolhje flame themore quickly ,Will the hot air pass through the cone andout: of the'lampnnder' the capjl. This'rapid movement of the hot airwill carry the whole 'ofit out of thelamp'g-leaving none te -ininglefwith the incoming'colrl a'ir, and at the" same timeit' will eflectuallyprevent the cold f roui passing down through thecon'e in'to t 'he lamp,which would extinguish the' flame: or causeiit to'fli'cke'r'a'nd red ucetlie poweroflhe' light. I Theabsence of filmsn'pon the'i-nne'i faces ofthe lenses isi obviously a positive advantage in a'signal lainp 'or'lantern, inasmuch as-a-ny i obscu rationpflight maybeattendedwithdisastrous results.

I do'n'otconfine myself to the exact apnstructi'on herein described, asdeviatiens'may be made the're'fromby the skilled mechanic iwit'liout theexercise ofinvntip'n. Neither do liinsi'stupon the entire" accuracy of'the lstatem'ent ofi principles under which" the pro'ved advantages hereinstated: to attend fthis constrnction are fou' ndf It is believed,ihowe'venth-at the novel epe'i ati'ons "and re- 1" suits described arethe directresult-of m y in"- fvention a'sset forth,

It is obvi ous-thattheahchamher need not ,be annular in horizontal" ortransverse sec-- tion, but that it maybe of other'shape", pm vid'edit'i's'a Walled structure. I Having thus described my i n v'en tio'n, Iclaim v i 1. The combination, Wit-11 a lantern,v ofi an annularair-chamber depending thereintfo-re motely situated with refierencetothe burner and communicating with the cembus'tienchamb'erthereof,-the:'said annular-chamber comprising aninneri nperforateandanouteriperforated air-distributing wall; and being Z closed at its lo'wer endan d providedw-ith airin'let openings communicating with: the externalair, and the central passage of thean 1111131 air-chamber constitutingan escapeflue for the'products-o'f combustion,- s-uhstan- Mtially assetforth.

2. The combination, in a lamp or lantern,

' of a casing or body having aseries of openings forthe admission ofair, perforated cylinder within the casing or body and secured theretobelow the openings, and aco'ne' attached to the perforated cylinderand-passing through it and the top of the'casing' or body, substantiallyas set fortlr.

" 3; Thecombination, in a-l'ampor lantern, of a casing or body having aseries of open ings for the admission of air, a perforated cylinderwithin the casing or body and se-- cured thereto below the openings, acone passing through the perforated cylinder and the top of the casing,and an outer cone above the casing and provided witha cap, substantiallyas set forth.

4. The combination, in a lamp or lantern, of a casing or body having aseries of openings near its top for the admission of air, a perforatedcylinder within the casing or body and secured thereto below theopenings, and a cone passing through the perforated cylinder anddetachably secured to its lower end, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a lamp or lantern, of a casing or body, a platein the upper part of said casing or body, an internal cone extendingabove and below the said plate, a perforated cylinder connected to thebase of the said internal cone, an outer cone above said plate,surrounding the internal cone and of openings for extending above thesame, said outer cone being open at the top, and a cap above said outercone, the casing or body being provided,

its upper part consisting of the plate 3, cyl

inder 8 and cone 10, said chamber extending into the casing or body andhaving a series he admission of air from without, and perforations forthe exit of air into the casing or body, said air-chamber constitutingmeans for deflecting and quieting the currents of air before they passinto the lantern, substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 2d day of May,1898.

XVILLIAM S. I-IAMM. [L. 8.] \Vitnesses:

GEO. D. KEEFER, R. F. BUNTING.

